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Management Texas members, together with ASPSF’s Wendy Stotts (second from left), and workers of Parkerson Garden and Panorama and Crimson River Softwash take a break from engaged on the Amtrak station’s landscaping and brick washing.
For the previous 43 years, Management Texarkana has welcomed native leaders who wish to take private accountability for the way forward for their neighborhood. One in every of these native leaders was Wendy Stotts, Arkansas Single Mum or dad Scholarship Fund’s Improvement Supervisor.
Wendy and 48 different Texarkana-area residents met month-to-month over the previous yr to not solely develop their management abilities but in addition put them into motion. The Management Texarkana Class of 2022 devised seven Strategic Doing initiatives to help the area’s financial progress.
Wendy and 7 of her classmates selected to enhance the outside of the Amtrak station in downtown Texarkana — and located many neighborhood residents prepared to assist! They raised almost $10,000 for the challenge, and native companies donated labor and supplies. In actual fact, because of native help, the challenge was voted into the Prime 10 within the nationwide Most important Avenue Contest sponsored by Unbiased We Stand.
Study extra about Wendy and the continuing enchancment challenge within the Q&A under.
How did you and your teammates provide you with the concept to beautify the Amtrak station?
On the fall retreat, we had been requested: “Think about Texarkana was famend for its Magnificence. What would that be like?” One in every of our staff members introduced our consideration to the less-than-quality look of the Amtrak station in downtown Texarkana. After a web site go to and brainstorming, we decided that our staff of eight would work towards the development of the outside of the station. The station is positioned in a historic constructing, Union Station, that’s in extreme disrepair.
Our challenge wanted to be accomplished throughout the program timeframe for Management Texarkana, so we targeted particularly on working with the constructing proprietor and Amtrak to beautify the outside of the station.
Why is bettering the Amtrak station essential to the Texarkana neighborhood?
The world across the Amtrak station serves because the introduction to Texarkana for vacationers passing via and because the leisure vacation spot for rail fanatics. As downtown Texarkana revitalization progresses, the practice station is essential in representing each our previous and our future as a hub metropolis within the southern United States.
The Amtrak station in downtown Texarkana welcomes guests to town.
How did the native enterprise neighborhood help the challenge?
Current landscaping has been cleaned up via the generosity of Parkerson Garden and Panorama. New crops and set up labor have been supplied by Cox Exterior Design and Improvement. Softwashing of the outside brick is being donated by Crimson River Softwash.
What was the largest problem?
Our course of required collaboration with a number of entities, together with town of Texarkana Ark. historic preservation committee. Settlement on the signal design was probably the most difficult a part of the method. I realized that initiatives and progress take significantly longer in Texarkana due to the 2 metropolis governments — one metropolis, two metropolis governments — Texarkana, Ark., and Texarkana, Texas. It’s a novel state of affairs. It’s not unimaginable to make progress, it’s simply a lot slower than when one metropolis authorities is concerned.
Wendy Stotts and members of her Management Texarkana staff raised $10,000 to beautify the Amtrak station in downtown Texarkana.
What’s subsequent for the challenge?
Plans embrace putting in an awning for cover from the climate; putting in festive lighting with supplies and labor donated by City Lighting; repainting the outside of the constructing the place the station is positioned; and restriping the car parking zone. When the challenge is full, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will likely be held.
How did attending Management Texarkana and dealing on this challenge show you how to in your position at ASPSF?
It’s my job to seek out the funds for single guardian scholar scholarships. I write funding functions in pursuit of grant {dollars} to help ASPSF. I construct relationships with companies, people, and organizations in an effort to safe funds. However one of many challenges we face in sharing ASPSF is that so many communities are unaware of our group.
The status and publicity surrounding my inclusion within the LT Class of 2022 helped increase consciousness of who ASPSF is and the way we serve single guardian college students — and it additionally opened doorways for me to the companies of my classmates that had been potential donors to ASPSF. Forming relationships with my classmates, engaged on initiatives collectively, and forming friendships has allowed for and continues to permit for a heat introduction to ASPSF.
Residents stroll by the Amtrak station in downtown Texarkana.
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